“Whynotsecurethething，“saidBongrand，“whyrunanyrisks？“
“Whenyouarebetweentworisks，“repliedthedoctor，“avoidthemostrisky。“
BongrandcarriedthroughthebusinessofmakingUrsulaofagesopromptlythatthepaperswerereadybythedayshewastwenty。Thatanniversarywasthelastpleasureoftheolddoctorwho，seizedperhapswithapresentimentofhisend，gavealittleball，towhichheinvitedalltheyoungpeopleinthefamiliesofDionis，Cremiere，Minoret，andMassin。Savinien，Bongrand，theabbeandhistwoassistantpriests，theNemoursdoctor，andMesdamesZelieMinoret，Massin，andCremiere，togetherwitholdSchmucke，weretheguestsatagranddinnerwhichprecededtheball。
“IfeelIamgoing，“saidtheoldmantothenotarytowardsthecloseoftheevening。“Ibegyoutocometo-morrowanddrawupmyguardianshipaccountwithUrsula，soasnottocomplicatemypropertyaftermydeath。ThankGod！Ihavenotwithdrawnonepennyfrommyheirs，——Ihavedisposedofnothingbutmyincome。MessieursCremiere，Massin，andMinoretmynephewaremembersofthefamilycouncilappointedforUrsula，andIwishthemtobepresentattherenderingofmyaccount。“
Thesewords，heardbyMassinandquicklypassedfromonetoanotherroundtheball-room，pouredbalmintothemindsofthethreefamilies，whohadlivedinperpetualalternationsofhopeandfear，sometimesthinkingtheywerecertainofwealth，oftenerthattheyweredisinherited。
When，abouttwointhemorning，theguestswereallgoneandnooneremainedinthesalonbutSavinien，Bongrand，andtheabbe，theolddoctorsaid，pointingtoUrsula，whowascharminginherballdress；
“Toyou，myfriends，Iconfideher！Afewdaysmore，andIshallbeherenolongertoprotecther。Putyourselvesbetweenherandtheworlduntilsheismarried，——Ifearforher。“
Thewordsmadeapainfulimpression。Theguardian’saccount，renderedadayortwolaterinpresenceofthefamilycouncil，showedthatDoctorMinoretowedabalancetohiswardoftenthousandsixhundredfrancsfromthebequestofMonsieurdeJordy，andalsofromalittlecapitalofgiftsmadebythedoctorhimselftoUrsuladuringthelastfifteenyears，onbirthdaysandotheranniversaries。
Thisformalrenderingoftheaccountwasinsistedonbythejusticeofthepeace，whofeared(unhappily，withtoomuchreason)theresultsofDoctorMinoret’sdeath。
Thefollowingdaytheoldmanwasseizedwithaweaknesswhichcompelledhimtokeephisbed。Inspiteofthereservewhichalwayssurroundedthedoctor’shouseandkeptitfromobservation，thenewsofhisapproachingdeathspreadthroughthetown，andtheheirsbegantorunhitherandthitherthroughthestreets，likethepearlsofachapletwhenthestringisbroken。Massincalledatthehousetolearnthetruth，andwastoldbyUrsulaherselfthatthedoctorwasinbed。
TheNemoursdoctorhadremarkedthatwheneveroldMinorettooktohisbedhewoulddie；andthereforeinspiteofthecold，theheirstooktheirstandinthestreet，onthesquare，attheirowndoorsteps，talkingoftheeventsolonglookedfor，andwatchingforthemomentwhenthepriestsshouldappear，bearingthesacrament，withalltheparaphernaliacustomaryintheprovinces，tothedyingman。
Accordingly，twodayslater，whentheAbbeChaperon，withanassistantandthechoir-boys，precededbythesacristanbearingthecross，passedalongtheGrand’Rue，alltheheirsjoinedtheprocession，togetanentrancetothehouseandseethatnothingwasabstracted，andlaytheireagerhandsuponitscovetedtreasuresattheearliestmoment。
Whenthedoctorsaw，behindtheclergy，therowofkneelingheirs，whoinsteadofprayingwerelookingathimwitheyesthatwerebrighterthanthetapers，hecouldnotrestrainasmile。Theabbeturnedround，sawthem，andcontinuedtosaytheprayersslowly。Thepostmasterwasthefirsttoabandonthekneelingposture；hiswifefollowedhim。
Massin，fearingthatZelieandherhusbandmightlayhandsonsomeornament，joinedtheminthesalon，wherealltheheirswerepresentlyassembledonebyone。
“Heistoohonestamantostealextremeunction，“saidCremiere；“wemaybesureofhisdeathnow。“
“Yes，weshalleachgetabouttwentythousandfrancsayear，“repliedMadameMassin。
“Ihaveanidea，“saidZelie，“thatforthelastthreeyearshehasn’tinvestedanything——hegrewfondofhoarding。“
“Perhapsthemoneyisinthecellar，“whisperedMassintoCremiere。
“Ihopeweshallbeabletofindit，“saidMinoret-Levrault。
“Butafterwhathesaidattheballwecan’thaveanydoubt，“criedMadameMassin。
“Inanycase，“beganCremiere，“howshallwemanage？Shallwedivide；
shallwegotolaw；orcouldwedrawlots？Weareadults，youknow——“
Adiscussion，whichsoonbecameangry，nowaroseastothemethodofprocedure。Attheendofhalfanhouraperfectuproarofvoices，Zelie’sscreechingorgandetachingitselffromtherest，resoundedinthecourtyardandeveninthestreet。
Thenoisereachedthedoctor’sears；heheardthewords，“Thehouse——
thehouseisworththirtythousandfrancs。I’lltakeitatthat，“
said，orratherbellowedbyCremiere。
“Well，we’lltakewhatit’sworth，“saidZelie，sharply。
“Monsieurl’abbe，“saidtheoldmantothepriest，whoremainedbesidehisfriendafteradministeringthecommunion，“helpmetodieinpeace。Myheirs，likethoseofCardinalXimenes，arecapableofpillagingthehousebeforemydeath，andIhavenomonkeytoreviveme。GoandtellthemIwillhavenoneoftheminmyhouse。“
Thepriestandthedoctorofthetownwentdownstairsandrepeatedthemessageofthedyingman，adding，intheirindignation，strongwordsoftheirown。
“MadameBougival，“saidthedoctor，“closetheirongateandallownoonetoenter；eventhedying，itseems，canhavenopeace。PreparemustardpoulticesandapplythemtothesolesofMonsieur’sfeet。“
“Youruncleisnotdead，“saidtheabbe，“andhemaylivesometimelonger。Hewishesforabsolutesilence，andnoonebesidehimbuthisniece。Whatadifferencebetweentheconductofthatyounggirlandyours！“
“Oldhypocrite！“exclaimedCremiere。“Ishallkeepwatchofhim。Itispossiblehe’splottingsomethingagainstourinterests。“
Thepostmasterhadalreadydisappearedintothegarden，intendingtowatchthereandwaithischancetobeadmittedtothehouseasanassistant。Henowreturnedtoitverysoftly，hisbootsmakingnonoise，fortherewerecarpetsonthestairsandcorridors。Hewasabletoreachthedoorofhisuncle’sroomwithoutbeingheard。Theabbeandthedoctorhadleftthehouse；LaBougivalwasmakingthepoultices。
“Arewequitealone？“saidtheoldmantohisgodchild。
Ursulastoodontiptoeandlookedintothecourtyard。
“Yes，“shesaid；“theabbehasjustclosedthegateafterhim。“
“Mydarlingchild，“saidthedyingman，“myhours，myminuteseven，arecounted。Ihavenotbeenadoctorfornothing；Ishallnotlasttillevening。Donotcry，myUrsula，“hesaid，fearingtobeinterruptedbythechild’sweeping，“butlistentomecarefully；itconcernsyourmarriagetoSavinien。AssoonasLaBougivalcomesbackgodowntothepagoda，——hereisthekey，——liftthemarbletopoftheBoulebuffetandyouwillfindaletterbeneathit，sealedandaddressedtoyou；takeitandcomebackhere，forIcannotdieeasyunlessIseeitinyourhands。WhenIamdeaddonotletanyoneknowofitimmediately，butsendforMonsieurdePortenduere；readthelettertogether；sweartomenow，inhisnameandyourown，thatyouwillcarryoutmylastwishes。WhenSavinienhasobeyedme，thenannouncemydeath，butnottillthen。Thecomedyoftheheirswillbegin。Godgrantthosemonstersmaynotill-treatyou。“
“Yesgodfather。“
Thepostmasterdidnotlistentotheendofthisscene；heslippedawayontip-toe，rememberingthatthelockofthestudywasonthelibrarysideofthedoor。Hehadbeenpresentinformerdaysatanargumentbetweenthearchitectandalocksmith，thelatterdeclaringthatifthepagodawereenteredbythewindowontheriveritwouldbemuchsafertoputthelockofthedooropeningintothelibraryonthelibraryside。Dazzledbyhishopes，andhisearsflushedwithblood，Minoretsprangthelockwiththepointofhisknifeasrapidlyasaburglarcouldhavedoneit。Heenteredthestudy，followedthedoctor’sdirections，tookthepackageofpaperswithoutopeningit，relockedthedoor，puteverythinginorder，andwentintothedining-
roomandsatdown，waitingtillLaBougivalhadgoneupstairswiththepoulticebeforeheventuredtoleavethehouse。Hethenmadehisescape，——allthemoreeasilybecausepoorUrsulalingeredtoseethatLaBougivalappliedthepoulticeproperly。
“Theletter！theletter！“criedtheoldman，inadyingvoice。“Obeyme；takethekey。Imustseeyouwiththatletterinyourhand。“
ThewordsweresaidwithsowildalookthatLaBougivalexclaimedtoUrsula:——
“Dowhatheasksatonceoryouwillkillhim。“
Shekissedhisforehead，tookthekeyandwentdown。Amomentlater，recalledbyacryfromLaBougival，sheranback。Theoldmanlookedathereagerly。Seeingherhandsempty，heroseinhisbed，triedtospeak，anddiedwithahorriblegasp，hiseyeshaggardwithfear。Thepoorgirl，whosawdeathforthefirsttime，fellonherkneesandburstintotears。LaBougivalclosedtheoldman’seyesandstraightenedhimonthebed；thensherantocallSavinien；buttheheirs，whostoodatthecornerofthestreet，likecrowswatchingtillahorseisburiedbeforetheyscratchatthegroundandturnitoverwithbeakandclaw，flockedinwiththecelerityofbirdsofprey。
